Dunn helped lead the Highlanders to a 9-7 record this past season under the guidance of coach Jeffrey Trundy. On May 4 in an 8-1 win at Canterbury, Dunn pitched a complete-game two-hitter with eight strikeouts and two walks. One week later, the 17-year-old co-captain from Freeport, Long Island, struck out 15 and scattered four hits in a tough-luck, 1-0 loss at home to Berkshire. On May 18, Dunn fanned 11 in five innings of work in an 11-4 win at Pomfret.

Bierfeldt, meanwhile, was taken in the 29th round with the 879th pick by the Baltimore Orioles after another tremendous season for the Colonials. The senior from Torrington became the first player ever named the Little East Conference's Player of the Year two straight years. He set Western's single-season record for runs batted in with 54 and set the Western career records for doubles with 47, triples with 13 and RBIs with 148. In 39 games this past season, he batted .396 with nine homers and 54 RBIs.

Of course, one person who was watching the draft quite intently was Westerners manager Jamie Shevchik. The New England Collegiate Baseball League generally -- and the Westerners specifically -- have been well represented in previous years' drafts, and this year was no different.

"I've been watching every pick in every round for the last two days," Shevchik said over the phone Saturday evening. "It's nice to see those guys get their names called."

Current Westerners first baseman Ryan Kinsella of Elon -- who hasn't played an inning of ball for the Westerners because of back-to-back rain-outs to start the season -- was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 18th round with the 540th pick. Shevchik said it wasn't immediately known if Kinsella would sign -- and consequently not play for the Westerners this summer -- but he'll be happy for the young slugger either way.

"It reminds us that we're recruiting the right guys," Shevchik said.

Also drafted were a pair of left-handed pitchers from the Westerners' 2010 team -- which came within seven outs of winning the franchise's first championship. Tulane's David Napoli went in the eighth round with the 256th pick to the Washington Nationals, while St. John's Sean Hagan went in the 31st round with the 933rd pick to the Chicago White Sox.

From last year's Westerners team, Marist shortstop Zach Shank was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 28th round with the 837th pick, while Maryland right-handed pitcher Jake Stinnett -- who also saw some time late in the summer in the infield -- went in the 29th round with the 869th pick to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"To see those guys get the opportunity to play pro ball, it's awesome," Shevchik said.

Shevchik's team at Division-III Keystone College has also had some success at the draft, with eight players being selected in the last four years, including right-handed pitcher Rob Rogers, who went this year in the 32nd round with the 964th pick to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

And of course, this year's No. 1 overall pick, Mark Appel, is an NECBL alum, having pitched for the Newport Gulls in 2010. He went 6-1 with a 1.86 earned-run average for the Gulls that summer, including six innings of work against the Westerners on July 16, when he scattered four hits and three walks while striking out three to earn the win in a 7-3 victory in Newport.